Family Pains
by intrajanelle
Summary: Naru has returned from England, prepared to admit his feelings for Mai, but how will he manage to confess to her with all of these distractions? Between Madoka, his talkative dead-brother and a new case Naru has his work cut out for him...
1. Cars and Ketchup

_Disclaimer: I own nothing Ghost Hunt related except for my insane plots :P_

_Heh, another idea of mine, hope you enjoy._

_PS. If you haven't read my other story, **Words Unspoken**, please do! I'd appreciate it!_

_RXR_

* * *

Chapter 1: Cars and Ketchup

Maybe he was trying to hard. Or maybe he wasn't trying at all.

Currently Naru didn't care either way, all he was engrossed with at the moment was the flustered girl in front of him. She placed a cup of tea on his desk, her brown hair bouncing in the process, and then waited for a long drawn out moment.

Finally with an over-dramatic sigh, she threw her hands in the air and glared at him pointedly.

"Fine, don't thank me." she said before slamming the office door behind her. The sudden noise was enough to knock Naru out of his reverie. He stared at the door for a while before taking a sip of his tea.

Then he sighed.

In the process of trying to ask her something Naru had become so caught up in deciding how to ask her that he'd completely forgotten she was there in the first place, therefore he hadn't thanked her for the tea, not that he ever did. Now she was mad which wasn't what Naru had been going for when he'd thought about asking her what had been on his mind for awhile.

Naru knew that there was something he had come back to Japan for. If it wasn't SPR Naru couldn't say what it was, but when he saw Mai... When he'd asked--demanded--her to come back.... He'd thought....

'Little brother, you are the smartest idiot I've ever met,' a cocky voice echoed in his head.

Naru debated how professional slamming his head on his desk would seem to Mai and then he settled on replying back.

'Gene, if you don't go away I'll exorcise you so bad you'll-'

His office door slammed open and Naru immediately came back in to himself, "Mai, I've told you before, knock," he said icily.

"Naru, we have a client, she's a little-she's...." Mai sounded frantic so Naru sighed and proceeded to walk as calmly, and as quickly, as possible in to the waiting room.

"Ma'am you'll have to make..." Naru began, but he couldn't finish. He planned on being a jerk, forcing the woman out of his office, refusing to listen to her until she made an appointment.

Unfortunately Naru didn't think that was possible. He sighed, now he'd have to be..._nice_.

The woman who had startled Mai was standing in the doorway covered in blood. She was wearing rags for clothes and they hung off of her, ripped and torn from many seasons of wind and rain. Other than the blood she would have looked like any other grungy, filthy homeless person.

But if she was homeless what business would she have with SPR?

The woman's hair hung out of her hood, blood dripped from the mud-colored strands and stained her 'clothes'. Mai took a step towards her.

"Ms. are you okay? Do you need our help?" Mai began but Naru held her back and stepped in front of her. His face was emotionless so Mai couldn't tell exactly what his thought process was with these actions.

He took a few steps towards the lady and was only feet away when the door to Lin's office flew open. Lin stood in the doorway to his office looking bewildered and very un-Lin-like. "Naru, wait-"

Naru ignored him and drew the hood away from the woman's face so he could see how bad her wound was.

The hood fell away and Naru stared, shocked and angry while Mai could only suffice to shriek.

"Madoka, are you okay!" Mai demanded practically crashing in to her boss in the process of launching herself at the smiling woman.

Madoka grinned through all of the **ketchup** matted on to her hair and clothes. "Of course Mai I'm fine. Noll, sweetie, I'm using your bathroom to wash up. Oh and by the way I have a favor to ask..."

Naru wished there was some way he could let out his anger on Madoka, without regretting it, but there wasn't, so he let do with Mai.

"Mai, tea!"

*******

_Fact 1: Mai was beginning to wonder if Naru was some sort of poltergeist himself. The kind that drinks gallons of tea in seconds and bosses people around instead of terrorizing them._

_Fact 2: Mai wondering these sorts of things is why Naru has begun to question her intelligence._

*******

-Three days ago-

The day was sunny and beautiful. Just another day in the life of Mai Taniyama, and she had to work.

She wished, not for the first time, that she didn't have to work at an ice cream store. Where people bought gallons and gallons of the cold, creamy stuff and Mai wasn't allowed a scoop.

Unfortunately she didn't have much a choice....he-Naru-was gone, SPR was gone and she needed money for rent.

She was feet from the entrance to Glen & Berry's Ice Cream Shop when a familiar blue van caught her eye. She stared, dumfounded, for a few moments before she finally blinked and closed her eyes.

No, when she reopened her eyes, the van did not disappear but neither did it move. Her breathing slowed as she realized that no one was _in _the van.

'Maybe they sold it,' she thought tentatively, 'Yeah, that's what happened, they sold it.'

It made sense when she thought about it. What would Naru do with yet another SPR van in England, he had plenty there.

Feeling more confident than before Mai approached the entrance to the shop and stepped inside.

"Good Morning everyone!" but instead of the cheerful and tired replies of her fellow employees Mai's voice met only silence.

She looked to the left first where the tables and chairs for customers were set out and waiting patiently for the Shop to open. But no one was there.

Then she headed to the back where she usually signed in. Pulling open the thick black door that led to the lockers she unceremoniously crashed in to something very tall and very soft.

"Oh my gosh, I'm sorry I didn't see you-" she began to rant, but then the owner of the tall body turned and her eyes widened. "Lin!"

Lin nodded, per usual he was his quiet self. She was too shocked to form a clear sentence anyway, let lone start a conversation, so for once she was grateful for his muteness.

"What are you...but you...." then Mai looked beyond Lin, in where her personal locker was located. She saw her boss, a short plump man, removing her things from the small space she'd called her own since she'd been let go from SPR. It hadn't been as comfortable as SPR's waiting room and it certainly couldn't hold a candle to her own desk, but it had been something.

Mai felt her eyes begin to itch, a guaranteed sign that she was going to cry, instead she stepped forward, arm outstretched, trying to demand what was going on.

"M-Mr. Glen what's...." she couldn't think or breathe or move. She was standing in the center of the locker room and within reach from her was the one person she hadn't expected to see.

"We're taking you back Mai." Naru said casually, "Your welcome."

Mai didn't have anything to say until Naru pushed the box with her stuff in to her arms. Mr. Glen said goodbye. Lin led her outside. But it wasn't until Naru was pulling out of the parking lot, with his window rolled down and a stupid smirk on his face, that Mai had pulled herself together enough to form a response.

"You stupid egotistical jerk! Get back here Naru! Don't just leave me here, how could you just come here out of the blue and re-hire me!!!!!" Mai yelled, her box slipping from her hands.

Naru, who wasn't as far away as she would've liked stopped the car and yelled back. "Oh and Mai I'll expect you at the office at 8 AM, don't be late."

Mai, who was too busy retrieving her belongings from the parking lot to listen, muttered under her breath, "Nice to see you too, Naru."

*******

Madoka was cleaned up and smiling. No one would have guessed that only seconds ago this woman had been wearing rags and ketchup. But Mai knew better, she knew Madoka so she knew better. There was a reason why Madoka had looked that way, but why...

"An experiment?" Naru asked coldly.

"That's right!" Madoka said with a smile, "I was doing a study of what people would do if they saw a dirty, rag-covered woman standing on the street demanding food! Your father put me up to it."

"And..." Naru elaborated.

"Someone threw a hot dog at my face, ketchup was everywhere!" Madoka said with a laugh. "Oh and Mai its good to see you! Isn't it wonderful how our Naru returned? Have you asked him why yet?"

Mai blinked, completely lost, while Naru's eyes narrowed. "Madoka, why are you here?"

"As a favor!" Madoka announced suddenly. "I have a case for you, its pretty far away, in the country; and its kind of...tiny too."

Naru seemed to twitch, "How small are we talking about?"

Mai watched as Madoka seemed to fiddle with her fingers, glancing subconsciously at Lin for support. Lin, however, had begun typing as soon as it was made clear that this was a case, and he didn't respond.

"It's a three bedroom condo. One bathroom, tiny rooms, a small kitchen and that's pretty much it." Madoka admitted.

"And why should we take this case." Naru asked, his voice dripping with malevolence, as if daring Madoka to give him one good reason. But Madoka was a step ahead of him.

"Because its my nieces house and whatever this thing is she's in a psycho ward because of it." Madoka said, and for once Mai saw no happiness in her eyes. Only pleading and helplessness.

*******

There was a silence longer than was comfortable for Mai, in which Naru and Madoka seemed to have a staring contest which Naru lost.

"We'll be there tomorrow at 11 AM, we'll need a base and-" but Madoka choked off his sentence. She was hugging him too hard for him to finish.

"Thank you Naru," she cried, "I'll have everything ready I swear!"

Naru didn't respond, instead he hesitantly separated himself from Madoka's harmful grasp and headed back towards the confines of his office.

Mai watched him go, confused and worried for Madoka and him. Naru seemed quieter and more resigned since he had returned. Not towards herself of course but Madoka, Lin, and the others. He treated everyone as if they were too much to handle, like the smallest of favors would only push himself to _care_.

'Maybe it's Gene,' Mai thought, 'Maybe he doesn't want to be attached like that again.'

Shrugging off these morose thoughts Mai retrieved Naru's empty tea cup from the coffee table, she cleaned the cup and filled a new pot to boil. She might as well do something nice for Naru, since being nice was too much for him to handle at the moment.

While she was waiting she thought she's call the other's and tell them about tomorrow.

She dialed the numbers she knew by heart, smiling when Bou-san answered the phone, and then Ayako, John, Yasuhara and Masako. Well maybe not _Masako_, but that was mutual and not as bad as it had been when they'd first met.

The rest of the day went on without much difficulty at all. Naru asked for tea five more times, Lin left early, and Mai was just getting ready to leave herself when the door to Naru's office inched open ever so slowly.

"Naru?" she asked the silence and then he stepped out of his office. He had his coat on and looked ready to go himself. But why'd he look so hesitant?

"Mai..." he started.

"Yes?"

As soon as she spoke he was Naru again, his face became stony and he closed his office door firmly. "It's raining, I'll drive you home."

"Oh," Mai said, because this was not what she had expected.

* * *

First chapter! I'm so excited!

I wrote this awhile ago and I have the entire story finished so updates will be about twice a week :)

PLEASE REVIEW!


	2. Drivers ED

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

a/n: Thank you for reading and reviewing!! I hope you like this chapter because I added a lot of Mai/Naru scenes for you fabulous reviewers, kudos.

* * *

Chapter 2: Drivers ED

'Making the first move, little bro?' Gene asked Naru. Naru narrowed his eyes on the road, trying to ignore Gene, concentrate on driving and talk to Mai.

No, he wasn't actually participating in this conversation, Mai was doing most of the talking.

The ride had started silently and Naru hadn't had a single idea why he'd offered to drive her other than 'it's raining.' Which wasn't one of his better excuses. He did manage, however, to break the silence.

"Are you going to talk or does it take you this long to form a conversation?" Naru challenged.

And so Mai talked...

"I can't wait for the case tomorrow, can you? Well of course you can, you're Naru." Mai laughed a little, "Still, do have any idea what's going on with Madoka's niece?"

She waited for a moment, expecting Naru to answer eventually, and he did.

"No, it might not be haunted, it's just a favor to Madoka." Naru said coolly.

"Huh, why do you say it's not haunted?" Mai questioned him. But they had pulled up in front of her apartment building and Naru didn't seem inclined to answer, sighing Mai opened the car door, preparing to leave, without an answer. But Naru stopped her.

He reached over and put a hand on her elbow, stopping her from moving. She looked from his hand to his face, blushing uncontrollably.

"Don't be disappointed, if there aren't any ghosts to distract you." Naru said softly, at least softer than his usual snide remarks.

Mai nodded, stepping outside, and out of his grasp. "Thanks....for the ride."

She wasn't sure why but she felt very shy all of a sudden. As if Naru and her alone meant something more than it used to mean.

She closed her door and watched as Naru left her standing in the rain. She closed her eyes, wondering if it was just a dream, opening them she saw that he was already gone and she couldn't quite remember what had just taken place.

Was Naru...reaching out to her?

*******

June

day 1

Mai hadn't slept a wink last night. Correction, she'd gotten thirty minutes of sleep after she'd finished packing, and now she was late.

As she scrambled down the stairs of her apartment building, pulling her shoes on to her feet as she went, she hurdled straight past the front lobby and through the revolving doors. Pausing, hoping that it was just lack of sleep that was making her hallucinate, Mai walked back in to the lobby and dropped her suitcase.

"You're late." Naru accused her. He was sitting in a chair across from her landlady and, naturally, was sipping a cup of tea. "Luckily I expected this much, I'll drive you to work."

Mai opened her mouth to protest but nothing intelligible spewed from her mouth. Instead she cried, "What?" and as if to add to her frustrations Naru shook his head at her.

"Really, Mai, must I spell it out for you. I'm driving you to SPR, get in the van." he said sternly, rising from his chair. Briefly he thanked the landlady for her services and then proceeded to walk towards his still shell-shocked assistant.

He kneeled only for a moment to pick up her suitcase, and then he was gone.

Mai looked from Naru, to her landlady and then back to the door.

She really should have expected this after yesterday. Naru was becoming a lot to handle. 'Maybe he really is a teenager.' Mai mused. 'He's having some killer mood swings.'

With a sigh she turned around, preparing to leave.

"What a nice boyfriend you have there Mai, so considerate too." her landlady said with a wave.

"He sure is..." Mai said to herself, "Wait, boyfriend!"

*******

"Is there a reason you picked me up Naru?" Mai asked suspiciously from the passenger seat of the van.

She was slightly confused and more than nothing, irritated, by Naru's erratic behavior.

"Not really, I simply needed you to be on time for this case, I can't have you jeopardizing our work." Naru conveyed, no trace of emotion in his voice.

'_Our _work?' Gene chuckled inside of his head. 'Mai and Naru sitting in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G-'

'SHUTUP.' Naru thought, grinding his teeth. Mai watched his mood change with uncertainty.

'Maybe I was right about those teenage hormones...' she thought, picking at her nails in dismay.

"Actually Mai there is something I have to ask-tell you," he said, uncharacteristically stuttering.

"Ask-tell me?" she teased. "Go ahead. Ask-tell away."

He frowned, still watching the road. This wasn't the way he had planned to ask her. Somehow he'd imagined it a little bit more romantically than in rush hour traffic. But this would have to do.

"Well," he said with a straight face, "Do you still..."

"Naru, look out!" Mai shrieked as they pulled in to SPR's parking lot.

A figure had popped out in front of them, whatever it was it staggered and then fell as Naru hit the brakes.

Mai un-strapped herself threw open her door. "Oh my gosh are you okay...Madoka?"

Naru watched from the drivers side as Madoka smiled and brushed it off. Pulling the computer monitor back in to her arms so she could load it in to the other van. Before she was completely out of Naru's sights she turned and flashed a peace sign and Naru made sure to give her the most menacing glare he'd ever mustered.

Getting back in to the car Mai sighed. "Madoka's been getting in a lot of trouble lately hasn't she? Oh, what was it you wanted to ask Naru?"

Without an answer Naru crisply turned in to an open space and parked the van as close to the office as he could manage. He unbuckled himself before he spoke.

"Nothing Mai, don't worry about it, it was nothing."

*******

_Fact 1: Naru forgot to write Madoka's pay check this week._

_Fact 2: Madoka knows kung fu._

*******

"The van's loaded and the others are coming on their own." Madoka announced several minutes later. "Who's going with who?"

Mai looked up from her position on the rear bumper of Naru's van. Normally she'd go with Naru but she couldn't just leave Madoka alone...

Seeming to sense what Mai was about to do Naru caught Mai's hand and dragged her, forcefully, in to his van and then got in himself. Lin, already at the wheel, gave the two a suspicious look.

"Fine then, I'll go by myself!" Madoka harrumphed as she slammed the drivers side door closed behind her.

Amusedly Naru watched from his seat, finally something had gone right for him...

"Mai I-" he turned around to ask her, finally, the question that was still nagging him. But he turned to her and sighed.

Just his luck, she'd already fallen asleep.

*******

"Can't sleep?" Lin asked Mai, surprisingly, as they got out of the van. She turned to him, blinking and actually stunned herself.

"I guess not." Mai smiled, "No dreams this time around. I'm usually out like a light until we reach our destination."

Which was true. Mai hadn't slept a wink the entire way to the cottage. Except for when they'd first started out, for about five minutes, and then Naru had shaken her awake for no reason at all.

Although she couldn't blame herself for not sleeping in the van. Especially since she was between Lin and Naru, neither of which were homely, or comfortable to sleep on. Not that that usually bothered her. She scratched her head and stood solemnly facing the van until Naru snapped her out of her reverie.

"Mai, equipment." he said sharply.

"Right!" Mai said, coming out of her daydreams. She grabbed a monitor and headed to the other side of the van to catch her first glimpse of the house.

She smiled as she saw Bou-san and Ayako but then saw the house and nearly dropped the monitor. "Mai, only unload things you can carry!" Naru shouted from the door.

Mai was hardly listening. She ran inside the house, shoved the monitor on to a desk and then ran back outside all in the time frame of ten seconds.

Mai had never been to a lake like this, she'd never seen anything quite so beautiful as what lay before her. This cottage was on a gorgeous lake, boats and jet ski's skimmed across the surface. People in nearby houses tanned on their docks and everything was sunny and fresh and-

"Mai!" Bou-san said enveloping her in a hug, "We haven't seen you in ages!"

"And whose fault is that Monk!" Mai protested, struggling in his grasp.

"Oh let her go Takegawa," Ayako said from behind him, and he did.

"How are you guys?" Mai asked cheerfully. "We haven't spoken in at least a few weeks..."

The two shared a look, Ayako was busying herself by gazing out over the lake and Monk was scratching his head sheepishly. Both of them looked embarrassed.

"Are you getting married already!" Mai yelled, suddenly nervous. If they were acting so weird then what was....

"No!" Monk protested, "Gosh no, we'd never..."

Ayako hit him before he could continue. "What Monk means to say is that we've moved in together, we are **not **getting married anytime soon...if ever."

"Oh, you guys!" Mai said happily, then something occurred to her, "Monk why didn't you just tell me this over the phone instead of making me call Ayako as well?"

Fortunately Monk was saved from that embarrassing explanation by the ever-so-generous Naru who had Madoka announce that they should all meet in the living room.

*******

Naru was talking but Mai was hardly paying attention. She was engrossed in the small quarters of this cottage. It was absolutely puny and new. Neither of which SPR had worked with before. Nothing was ever this small and new AND haunted.

Mai saw a flat screen TV, new kitchen and appliances, it looked like it had just been remodeled.

Ayako elbowed her, forcing her to pay attention.

"There are three very small rooms here." Naru said, making it very clear. "This place is so small that there will be no escorts, no matter how bad anything gets because everyone is visible unless they go to the bathroom. The smallest room is the base, the front room is the girls and the remaining room for the men."

"Notice how he says 'girls' and 'men'." Mai said rolling her eyes. "Like he's macho or something."

Ayako laughed prompting Naru to raise an eyebrow in their direction.

"As I was saying Madoka's sister didn't give many details so we're looking for everything. I'll have Ayako and Mai set up the camera's and microphones. Monk will take temperatures. And Mai?" Naru asked while she was spacing.

"Yeah, Naru?" she replied hastily.

"Try not to set up the camera's so that we're tripping over wires."

* * *

OOOh, Naru's going to get it :P

Reviewers: I totally have to run and I've never done this before but I can't respond to your wonderful reviews!! I will next chapter, promise!!

Thank you!!!: **iLOVEambMYsis**, **shift_one**, **flamegirl5500**, **fandemanga51**, **Emina105**, **miss** **koneko**, **Moons**-**Chan**, **Angelic** **Kitsune**, **Azamiko**, and **idon'tseepenguins**

_And a special thanks to all of those who read both of my stories!!!_** Words Unspoken** _appreciates your support :)_

_RXR_


	3. Pizza Time

_I'm not dead._

My mother took my laptop so I would finish my summer homework. Have I finished it? No. Why? Because I care about you all too much.

Nah I'm just lazy.

Disclaimer: I own nothing Ghost Hunt.

**To be frank, this chapter sucks, but is necessary. The next chapters juicy. wait patiently :]**

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Chapter 3: Pizza Time

"Try not to set up camera's so that we're tripping over wires?" Mai fumed, "Why would he- that egotistical, selfish jerk!"

"Maybe he meant because we're in such close quarters this time." Ayako suggested, plugging in the microphones and sounding pretty bored. "Where are John, Yasuhara and Masako for him to torture as well?"

"Stuck in traffic, they might not even make it up tonight." Mai told her.

They ran through the set up pretty well after that and Mai made sure every single wire was taped down until the floor looked more like duct tape than tile. Naru walked in, after awhile in the base, and raised his eyebrows.

Ayako discreetly shushed him but not before he could give her a dark look that clearly said 'don't push me' before deciding to avoid this confrontation and receded back in to his base.

*******

"I'm back everyone!" Madoka announced as she slammed the front door in.

Ayako jumped up from where she had dozed off on the couch. Blearily she raised her hands as if to defend herself from any unknown threats.

Sighing, Monk walked up behind her and lowered her fists.

"Calm down Jackie Chan, its only Madoka." he said condescendingly.

From there Ayako seemed to turn a ferocious shade of red and she used a pillow to whack Monk off of the head. "I knew that you perverted, washed-out Hippie!"

Mai looked up from the kitchen table, a broken microphone in her lap. She had been attempting to fix it before Naru saw and/or docked her pay. She groaned. 'This is just about the most paranormal activity we've gotten all day.'

Suddenly a hand reached over her shoulder and plucked the device from her grasp. She stared at her empty hands and then looked over at Naru who was expertly clasping the microphone shut.

Without a word he handed it back to her.

Without a word she took it back.

She was surprised and not at all comfortable with Naru's sudden act of kindness. But she could only stare as he proceeded to silence the others and retreat back in to his base. Otherwise known as his 'lair.'

Before the door was closed he turned and gave her one last glance.

"Mai, tea."

Of course.

*******

From the meager supplies Madoka had been able to buy from a gas station down the road, Mai was able to stir up some kind of a dinner.

An American style dinner, but it was food, and she was starving.

"What is that?" Monk asked as she pulled her hard work from the oven.

The melted cheese, sizzling tomato sauce and toasted bread only added to the hunger that burned a hole in her stomach. She pushed Bou-san aside and placed the pizza on the counter. Fresh from the oven. "Move over old man."

"What _is _that?" he asked again, ignoring her and sounding hungrier than before. "Is that pizza? Actual, homemade cheese pizza?"

Mai nodded, smiling as she flicked on the fan so it could cool down long enough to cut. The smell wafted around them and through the house, luring Ayako and then Lin from their respective rooms.

"Great job Mai," Madoka smiled upon seeing the fresh pizza.

Lunging Monk threw his arms around her, "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I haven't had any since I was a kid, it looks so good, I could just kiss you!"

Mai blushed, but he didn't actually kiss her. "Get off you old Monk! Let go of me!"

"Takegawa I would appreciate it if you didn't harass my employees." Naru said, his voice laced with ice.

Neither Monk nor Mai had seen Naru approaching and his sudden appearance made them jump away from each other. Monk, sprawled on the floor by Ayako feet, looked up in to her flushed and derisive face.

Mai leaned against the stove, a hand over her heart.

"Oh my gosh Naru. You should be a ninja or something. That was freaky." she said between deep breaths.

Without a glance or a reply Naru walked towards the kitchen table and sat on the end, unnoticed by Monk or Ayako who were too busy arguing, and by Madoka and Lin who seemed deep in conversation. He looked up and met Mai's eyes head on.

"I suggest you serve dinner Mai, as long as it takes these idiots to stop bickering the less pizza they deserve." he discerned.

She barely flinched, so unnerved by Naru's epiphany that she couldn't speak.

Until finally Monk fell face flat on the tile in front of her and tripped over the cord for the fan. She blinked, nodded, and cut the pizza.

All the while wondering why Naru was still staring at her like he wanted to ask her something.

*******

Dinner was for SPR wasn't a casual break from the rest of their hectic day. Mai could remember plenty of times when paranormal events seemed to disturb their sociable and refreshing meals.

Today, however, was leaning more and more towards normal instead of paranormal and she couldn't seem to understand why the case that had seemed so dangerous was actually turning out to be more like vacation and less like work.

In fact to prove that the paranormal had not in any way interrupted as of yet: Naru was acting ... relaxed.

He had finished his pizza quietly and now he was staring out of the window behind her. He didn't tense or hurry back to base or anything like that. Instead he seemed to be loosened and refreshed. Two things Mai had presumed he never wasted time on.

One thing Mai couldn't have guessed was what Naru was actually thinking.

In fact Naru wasn't looking out the window. He was watching Mai out of the corner of his eye.

The way she smiled. Laughed. Punched Monk in the shoulder.

She made _him _want to smile. And so he was sitting at the kitchen table, staring at Mai, and he couldn't help but think that after all of this was over he would take a vacation. And maybe, just maybe, Mai would like to come with him.

*******

_Fact: Gene cannot believe what Naru just thought._

* * *

Oh my gosh 16 reviews!!!!!

I luv you all so much because even though this is _not_ the greatest piece of writing on fanfiction you still reviewed :)

Reviews:

Angelic Kitsune:Thank you! I've always wished someone would pick me up like that, dreamy sigh :)

King Me: Thank you!

iloveme5895: Thank you, sry about the update :)

xSapphirexRosesxfanx: Here's the update, you don't have long to wait!

perfect-goddess: Sorry I cut it short, hope you enjoyed this chappie!

luna-moongoddess: Thank you and it is lin/madoka too.

KimberlyRian: Thank you and Naru deserved some slack, after all he's a jerk because he likes to see Mai all upset right? :) [I know that is no excuse ;)]

AiOtaku: Thank you and sry about the update!

Moons-chan: I love that too :)

Azamiko: I'm a fan of trying new spins on things, I'm surprised no ones thought of something like this to be honest :)

Sweetooth alchemist: Thank you so much! You're encouragment is appreciated :)

flamegirl5500: That's close to it. Thank you!

fandemanga51: Thank you so much!! There wasn't much funny in this chapter so I hope you liked it!

idontseepenguins: Yes, Naru needs a battle plan.

Emina105: Thank you!!

iLOVEsanMYsis: Thank you so much!! And Gene will be in the next chapter, I'm sorry he was neglected here :(

* * *

_Please review or I'll cut Gene from the next chapter_. Hehe I kid.


	4. Teenage Hormones

Disclaimer: I own nothing Ghost hunt.

a/n: Please enjoy, here's where it gets pretty angsty. Oh and I'm sorry if the last chapter really was suck-ish, one reviewer actually agreed with me. I was just referring to the fact that it wasn't very funny. Sorry!

* * *

Chapter 4: Teenage Hormones

The house had its own dock and a boat, which lay abandoned in the last of the evening light. Mai sat there, on the dock, wondering about things she hadn't thought about in months. Things and feelings Naru always seemed to bring to the surface.

'I know I love him, but he thinks I love Gene,' she thought warily. 'I don't know how he comes up with these things, honestly.'

The turth was the she felt she needed a little time to herself. There was no paranormal activity here, despite Madoka's warning, and Naru was acting stranger than usual; because truthfully any seventeen year old ghost hunter with a tea fetish is strange to begin with but Naru...was being _nice_.

He helped her without criticism, watched her when she wasn't looking and occassionally seemed as if he wanted to ask her something but then...brushed it off.

"Mai?" jumping a little Mai turned around only in time to meet the eyes of a certain gothic narcissist who seemed intent on bothering her, when she was thinking about him nonetheless.

"Yes, Naru?" she asked.

"Have...Have you had any dreams?" Naru asked professionally, seeming to have switched the topic of conversation. Mai sighed.

"No, I can't feel anything here, its just _so_ happy." Mai said wistfully.

"Mai..." Naru began, but he seemed lost for words.

She hated this, how he could never just say what he felt. How instead of admitting that someone actually loved him he had to embarrass and humiliate her. How things were never just easy with him and how she couldn't NOT love him.

"Naru." Mai snapped, suddenly angered, "Can I ask you a question? Why am I here? Why couldn't you just let me be?"

Naru stared at her coldly, she was practically shouting at him now, but maybe he needed to hear what she had to say.

"I had a job Naru, I'd moved on. Why'd you bring me back? And do not say for the tea!" Mai demanded.

"I wasn't going to say 'for the tea' Mai." Naru said coolly, "Honestly, I brought you back because I thought I-"

'I thought I might be in love with you, at least that's what Gene seems to think.'

But he stopped and looked at her almost desperate. Mai watched him, stunned that he seemed so lost, so confused.

"I-ah," but he didn't respond, he only walked away.

Mai sighed, head in her hands. "That's exactly what I thought, I'm just some silly toy to him." Mai murmured. She didn't move to wipe her face, as the tears slid across her cheeks.

*******

Mai crawled in to the bed she was sharing with Ayako, thankfully just Ayako. By tomorrow princess Masako will have undoubtedly pushed the two to the couch. She'd approach Naru all wide eyed and smiling.

"Oh Naru I simply cannot share a bed with such unworthy cretins!" she'd protest, and Naru would most likely give in.

"Well she can run off in to the sunset with him, take him, I don't need him!" Mai announced, only succeeding in gaining Ayako's attention.

"You sure don't Mai..." Ayako responded, completely confused.

"Ayako...." Mai said questioningly, "Do you think Naru likes me at all? Sometimes I think he just toys with me."

Ayako smirked, sitting beside the younger girl. "Of course he likes you, when you're on the outside you can tell, Naru's always looking out for you right?"

Mai sighed, of course Ayako was right. Actions speak louder than words, but still...

"I think he just does that for tea." Mai said dejectedly before throwing the covers over her head, "Goodnight Ayako!"

The older woman spent a few moments gazing down at the small lump in the covers that was Mai.

'Oh Mai... Why'd you fall in love with a guy so incapable of emotion?' Ayako thought strangely. Then shrugging she turned to prepare herself for bed.

Little did either of the girls suspect the certain young psychic who could hear everything through the wall...

*******

"Gene?" Mai said through the mist. She was standing in a white, white light and Gene wasn't too far away. But...she always met Gene on a darker plane. Why was it suddenly so bright?

"Mai I love you." she blinked, Gene was getting further away, he said it again, "I've always loved you."

Mai desperately ran to catch up to him, "What are you talking about Gene? I told you I love Naru!" and she had, several times the only person she'd been able to run to had been Gene. Even when Naru was in England and Gene's body had been buried he had still stuck by her side-err-dreams.

"I-Gene!" and then he was gone. Her only confidante, her best friend had just confessed his love to her...but she couldn't return the gesture.

*******

day 2

Masako and John had arrived early this morning. Mai stumbled out of bed and passed them on her way to the bathroom which was across the living room. Masako looked up at her snootily.

Mai sighed, wishing she was dressed all pretty like Masako, instead she was wearing cotton pajamas and had bed-hair.

"Morning John! Masako..." Mai said as cheerily as possible.

"Morning Mai." John greeted, Masako ignored her.

Mai quickly changed in the bathroom and left feeling a little bit better about herself...until she slammed headfirst in to Yasuhara was unloading a box from his car.

"Oh, gosh Mai are you okay?" Yasu managed to ask while struggling to keep the heavy thing in his arms.

"I'm fine, what's in there?" Mai asked curiously.

"Uh-uh, no peeking, this is a delivery for Naru...I mean the big boss." Yasu winked.

"Of course." Mai smiled and squeezed past everyone in the crowded living room so that she could put her pajamas back in her suitcase. Finally at the door to her room she heard Naru from the front door.

Masako was undoubtedly hanging off of his arm, "Naru there are no spirits here, nothing, I sense nothing at all."

Naru turned to Madoka and glared at her, before replying to Masako curtly, "I know."

After her incident with Gene Mai didn't feel like arguing with Naru, she slipped in to her bedroom and put her things away, drowning out noise of her friends beyond the bedroom door. She hummed to herself, quietly enough.

She'd had no dreams here, no feelings, cold spots, nothing. Yet she had this inherent feeling that Madoka was behind this and then it struck her. Madoka was an only child. So how could she have a niece?

Mai frowned as she stood by the window, it, like the one by the table, showed the whole lake. It was only ten or so feet from the ground, she thought, and the garden was right below it. She grunted, easing the window open so she could get some fresh air.

It was jammed so it took awhile to slide.

Just as she was about to give up she felt something touch her shoulder, cold, clammy fingers and then the window flew open. Before Mai knew it she was falling, head first with nothing to hold on to, she threw her arms out and shingles came away in her hands.

She fell, with nothing to stop her from crashing in to the garden in a mess of limbs.

*******

Mai could hear people screaming, shouting her name, hands grabbed her and eased her up. She moaned but couldn't move, everything was numb but nothing felt really hurt.

She tried to open her eyes but it felt as if they were taped shut so she stopped trying.

"Mai....are you in pain?" one voice murmured in her ear. She tried to answer desperately, wanting to reassure whoever it was, everything was fine, she couldn't feel a thing.

She managed to shake her head 'no.' Her eyelids wouldn't even flutter.

"This isn't good." Ayako said panicked, "Her nervous system is failing, if she can't feel THIS," she said picking up Mai's arm, "I think it's broken, looks like a clean break."

"She's just so fragile her bone broke on impact." someone said nervously.

"I called an ambulance!" someone else reported from the house.

"Good, Mai we're taking you to the hospital, don't sleep Mai....don't sleep."

But it was too late, Mai was already in darkness.

* * *

Mai _isn't_ dead. I promise.

I luv you guys!!! Thank you for so many wonderful reviews!

This story is almost over, maybe three chapters left. Sigh. So short.

I hope you liked it!

RXR- keep smiling, keep reading


	5. Inner Demons

Disclaimer: Disclaimed.

**IMPORTANT** **NOTICE**: This chapter isn't funny, it isn't meant to be. When I originally wrote this story it was very serious I added in the jokes before updates and that's why they usually take so long. So here is a rather bleak chapter that will hopefully leave most of you satisfied. Voila.

* * *

Chapter 5: Inner Demons

Mai awoke to silence. She was so used to waking up to noise or screaming or panic that silence stunned her.

She managed to open her eyes in slits and looked around her, but her head wouldn't move, and that didn't help.

No one was here, either that or they were all in the hall, but her arm was in a cast and her head felt all wrapped up as well. Nothing would move, not to mention that something was on her...

She felt her eyes land on Naru's limp form, she could feel the sudden wave of emotion that overtook her at his face. He was sleeping in a chair beside her, his head in his hands was lain on her bed. She unconsciously blushed and found herself sore, hurting, and confused but happy.

When she opened her mouth to say something she discovered she could not speak and instead of using sign language or anything that silly she managed to wiggle her right arm, which was not in a cast, and place it over the oxygen mask on her face, intending to rip it off.

Suddenly a hand whacked hers away.

"Idiot, you fell ten feet and hit your head, you want to die?" Naru said coolly, sitting up from where he'd been asleep.

Mai tried to retort but it was impossible.

"I think I like you like this better, you can't fight back." he smirked.

But Mai could see the relief on his face, even if he didn't know it was there, it made her feel better knowing he was happy she was okay.

"You've been asleep for thirteen hours. The others are at the cottage, I'll explain when they get here, so I only have to go over it once... They wanted to stay here, I made them go." Naru said generously. It was more information than Mai thought he was capable of without sounding bossy.

"I'm going to tell the nurse you're awake." Naru said complacently, but before he could stand Mai placed her hand over his and smiled, which was all she capable of in communication right now. It was enough.

* * *

13 hours ago.

"Madoka, what are you up to?" Naru said rudely as he brushed Masako from his arm and glared at her.

"There are no spirits here, nothing," Masako went on, Naru ignored her.

"I know." he snarled.

"You needed a break." Madoka said defensively.

"There is no niece." Naru said matter-of-factly. "This was all a ruse to make me go on vacation."

"Yep, I borrowed the house and everything, you should be grateful." Madoka confirmed.

Naru was bristling with anger, everyone was watching them by now, although none of them seemed as mad as he was.

"Hey Naru if this is vacation can I take the boat for a spin?" Monk said playfully.

"Madoka I-" but then Masako fell to the ground. Assuming it was just another one of her schemes to be close to him he tried to ignore her but she shouted.

"He's here! Naru, the window!" she shrieked. Naru spun around, no one was near the front windows...unless...

By then they'd all heard it. Mai screamed and then something tore at the side of the house and it ended with a thump. They all were silent for a brief moment before Monk and Ayako tore out of the house screaming Mai's name with the others on their tail.

Masako jumped for her cell phone intending to call 911, knowing what must have happened.

Naru ran in a haze, he didn't know where he was going until he was in front of Mai, she was in Monk's arms and Monk was shaking her, trying to wake her up. Her arm was twisted at a painful angle.

"How can she not feel this?" Ayako wondered in shock as she cradled Mai's twisted arm in her lap.

Naru leaned forward and ordered Monk to lay Mai on the ground and get the med kit.

"The ambulance won't be here soon, we're in the woods, buy us some time!" he ordered. Monk, begrudgingly left Mai's side.

Naru stepped around the others, standing around her and touching her briefly, trying to see if she was okay.

"Good, the ambulance will be here soon Mai," he lied, "...don't sleep Mai...don't sleep." Naru said softly. He wondered if she could hear him, wherever she was.

He looked back up at the open window and narrowed his eyes, anger filling his body. The window was open, but the windows had been nailed shut...

* * *

"Madoka set us up." Naru stated coldly. Everyone was in Mai's hospital room.

Mai was sitting up in bed, her eyes losing focus, and Ayako rubbed her right arm to keep her awake.

"She tricked us in to coming here by telling us it was a case. The house is in fact, borrowed. There was no evidence to suggest paranormal activity until Mai was _pushed _out of the window." Naru said firmly.

"Pushed?" Monk said, almost standing. "Naru how can you be sure of that? Is that why you asked us to exorcise the house?"

Naru nodded. "Mai isn't the strongest person alive. Those windows were nailed shut and if Mai was pushed from one it would have had to be open, which it was."

"Nailed shut?" John said, almost choking on his water. "But how can there be spirits in a place where there weren't any reports or sightings of them?"

"This isn't a spirit," Naru said clearly. Mai watched him remembering the clammy fingers on her back as she fell. "It's a demon."

* * *

'That explains...why I haven't had any dreams.' Mai thought nervously. 'but if its a demon how did it get here?'

Everyone was looking at her at this point, all of their faces worried.

"Naru, didn't Masako yell something about 'him' being there? Can demons be people?" Yasuhara asked in confusion.

"Yes, I've seen quite a few demons who are just people who have died. Sometimes demons are simply leftover emotions of someone who has died, like a poltergeist can be." Naru explained.

"I see so it isn't an earth spirit." Ayako said with a frown.

"Of course it isn't!" Monk hissed back.

"So then who was it that died?" Madoka asked guiltily, entering the room with Masako both of whom Mai hadn't noticed their absence before.

Naru shook his head. "I haven't determined that much yet. Whose house is it Madoka?"

Madoka blinked and then sat down quickly as if just realizing something she'd forgotten. "_Oh_, oh I'm sorry Naru, I completely forgot. I wasn't thinking..." her hands shook in her lap and she brought them to her face as something dawned upon her.

Lin walked over to her and placed a comforting hand on her back, but he remained silent.

"Madoka!" Naru demanded. She looked up, desperately looking from face to face, watching Mai the longest.

"The house, it belongs....belonged to your parents. Your real parents." and Madoka's head fell in to her hands.

* * *

I you read _Words Unspoken_, my other story, you know this already but I don't have the time to reply to reviews anymore. Once I get a good weekend in I'll reply to everyone but until then remember reviews=updates so don't stop just cuz I'm not gonna say thanks if you do.

Thank you! and Review Please!


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